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Three reasons to buy local art this holiday season and beyond!
Posted on | Friday, November 29, 2013 | 2 Comments
Three reasons to buy local art this holiday season and beyond!
1. Original works are alive
Direct from the artist’s hand, an original painting or sculpture, finely crafted jewelry or turned wood may be more expensive than a copy, but it’s alive with the artist’s spirit and vision! Nothing mass-produced by an anonymous machine can come close to the sense of vitality that emanates from an original work of art. Why fill your home with machine-made kitsch when you can own original and affordable works of art created by respected local artists? If your budget is tight, you can ask the artist or gallery about leasing work or paying by layaway.
2. Enhance your well-being
Like prayer, meditation and yoga, art can be a relaxing and spiritual force in your life, whether you practice it or simply look at it. Surrounding yourself with local art that is unique and meaningful provides a sense of comfort you can’t find in commercially manufactured products. Art becomes a life-long friend.
3. Become a collector
Have you ever collected coins or stamps? Most avid collectors are attracted by the beauty and rarity of these treasures. Original artwork is unique—one of a kind. You’ll never walk into someone else’s home and see your art on their walls. True collectors buy art for love, not money. They take pleasure in being surrounded by beauty, knowing that there is special meaning in the art they have personally chosen or commissioned. Since much local art is affordable and collectable, whether you collect by artist, genre, medium or style, you’re likely to find what you want right in your own backyard. Buy a piece of art because you love it, and let your own sensibility and intuition be the best guides.
Posted on | Monday, October 28, 2013 | No Comments
• Passions and Pursuits
Opening Reception November 1, 6 - 8pm
Athens Arts gallery will be represented at TAF in the Northwest Gallery at the Wells Community Cultural Center - 638 N St. LafayetteMake plans to join us at the Wells Community Cultural Center this Friday, November 1, 6:00-8:00pm for not just one but three shows! 9 Squared (Wabash Valley Potters), Vintage and Vision (Louie Laskowski) and Passions and Pursuits (Athens Arts). The galleries are filled! Looking forward to seeing you! The exhibition will run from November 1 - December 6.
Each artist holds deep within, their own ideals, dreams and a distinctive way of following their creative path. The 16 varied artists of Athens Arts claim a variety of media in order to express passions and to pursue their creativity. This "Passions and Pursuits" exhibit is a result of the interesting mix of their talents. The show ranges from turned wood vessels, ceramics, watercolor and acrylic paintings, and mixed media assemblages to delicate flowers made entirely of clay. The artists of Athens Arts welcome you into their creative world.
Athens Artists showing:
Mike Abney
Marianne Ballenger
Kelly Barton
Pontip Berry
Sue Brassel
Kym Bushong
CJ Charles
Nina Cunningham
Mike Fishero
Bob Foote
Alice Harpel
Daryl Hutson
Diana May
Alan McConnell
Karen Patton
John Zimmerman
Athens Arts Salon REDUX
Posted on | Thursday, October 17, 2013 | 1 Comment
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| Marianne Ballenger Second Place - 2D category |
Athens Arts Salon REDUX! is up until October 26th! Consider purchasing from this special show to support the gallery.
Purchase award sponsors - you can use your pledges through the entirety of the show!
Special Salon REDUX! gallery hours are October 20 (Sunday) open 1-4pm October 17-23 and 25-26 open 10-5pm!
AWOW (Art Walk on Washington) October 24th - we will be open 10-8pm!
Come check out the show!
REvision! Exhibit
Posted on | Tuesday, August 13, 2013 | No Comments
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| REvision window installation. REthinking our relationships with discarded objects. All items covered in newspaper. |
Opening Reception August 23, 6-8pm
Beat the Heat Brown Bag Series!
Posted on | Monday, June 17, 2013 | 7 Comments
Brown Bag Series!
FREE!!!!
Wednesdays at Noon - bring your lunch we provide the refreshments!Join us for free artist talks and demonstrations on a variety of topics! The series begins June 19 and runs through July (excluding July 3rd). Hope to see you!
• June 19 - Gerberg Garmann Topic: “Poetics of Imagery”
• June 26 - Cathy Claycomb Topic: How to make Saddlebag Purses
• July 10 - Marianne Ballenger Topic: Books and Journal Making
• July 17 - Kelly Barton Topic: “Journeys” Artistic Journaling
• July 24 - Elizabeth Lincourt Topic: Fun with Mixed Media
• July 31 - Karen Patton Topic: “Reflections” How to Paint Reflective Surfaces
Growing the Arts - a Surreal Dream Scape 2013 Wrap up!
Posted on | Sunday, May 5, 2013 | No Comments
The community thrives when there are creative outlets that can foster an appreciation and understanding of the arts. We want to be a cultural hub in Montgomery County.
This year our Gala's theme was "Growing the Arts - a Surreal Dream Scape!" In the first half of the event which took place at the gallery, an artist dressed as Bob Dylan greeted Gala goers on the sidewalk! Inside the gallery, musicians strolled, we were graced with a spontaneous sing along of "Que Sera Sera, artists dressed as the famous paintings (the Two Fridas, and Girl with the Pearl Earring) posed for photos with guests, there was a poetry read and the song "Sunday" was sung about the famous painting "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte". We also enjoyed sweet treats from Bon Appetit!
From the gallery we proceeded to the Country Club to enjoy a buffet dinner of candy cane beet salad, grilled baby romaine, mexican grouper, chicken kiev tartlets, portabella mushrooms with asparagus, fabergé egg potatoes and yummy cupcakes! The homemade chocolate turtles at each place setting were such a nice ending to the meal. Abstract music played while the silent auction waited on bidders. We enjoyed the wearable art items worn by select artists which included the handmade hearts worn by the two Fridas! Our silent auction was a hit and the large surreal flower blooms centerpieces went home with the highest bidders as well!
The night was a treat and we thank all for the support. Let us know if you enjoyed the night and also how we can improve.
Zach Medler - Featured Artist
Posted on | Tuesday, April 2, 2013 | No Comments
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| Photo by: Jonathan Streetman/Journal Review |
Exhibit located in the special exhibit room in Athens Arts
Beginning April 3rd at 10am, Zach Medler will be begin creating on site! One piece will be an interactive mural created on a large paneled screen. This piece "in progress" will evolve throughout the six week period that Zach's show will be at Athens Arts.
The second creation will be a multi-dimensional installation mural created in the featured artist room titled "art from where you live".
Please drop by in the next few days to see Zach create! There will be many opportunities to witness these evolving creations. Hope to see you there!
Take a look at Zach's blog to see photos and details of the installation as well as the interactive mural.
zachmedler.blogspot.com
Artist’s Statement:
“consider the hand that will hold the handle”
i like to combine traditional and non-traditional media in alternative ways to create a cohesive aesthetic that seeks to break away from the one-dimensional manifesto art of postmodernism. my objective in making art is simply to translate an experience to an audience in a relatable way. sometimes that means i interact with them through their morning cup of joe. sometimes it means i pull them into a sunset of ink and paper or paint on wood. other times they are encouraged to participate in interactive installations or by walking around wearing one of my t-shirts. i try to constantly remind myself to consider the hand that will hold the handle in all things that i make.
i began simply making pots trying to develop ideas of form and function. i switched gears in graduate school, as many of us do, and stepped into the arena of installation. post-grad school and trying to eek out a living forced me back into functional work. out of boredom, i began incorporating imagery and storytelling. block printing and relief-print ceramics evolved from prints on ceramic sculptures to pottery. the idea of repeatable imagery made me consider using stencils in my paintings. the stencils then showed up on tshirts. everything plays off of everything else plays off the color palate of the midwest.